Let's dispel the myth, here's why Ryanair and other low-costs board from the runway and not the finger

Normal people, unlike the bum, they bristle when they find out that embarkation/disembarkation will be from the apron and not the finger.

Passengers believe that airlines, particularly low-cost airlines, choose not to use the finger, that is, the arm connecting directly to the terminal, because it "costs more." #spoileralert is not exactly like that, Or rather it is not for the reason you think.

It happens even to traditional airlines that they don't use the finger. Sometimes it's a structural issue: just think that at Linate there are only a few compared to what would be needed.

Other times it is a matter of necessity, and it can happen even with Emirates, Qatar or Swiss.

When it comes to European low-costs, however, it is almost a certainty.

In contrast 9 times out of 10 in the rest of the world, even if you fly low-cost, you will always board from the finger.

It's about money, but not about what you think

In the comments I often read from readers who justify this as a way for the company to save costs. "They don't use the finger because they have to pay." But this is not the case at all.

Or rather, all costs that companies incur at different airports are subject to negotiation between operator and carrier, but it is quite clear that using the finger is significantly cheaper for the company than remote parking or not directly connected to the terminal.

Between stair management staff, ground staff for safety and security, and the cost of using buses, it is clear that there is much more work on the ground than just an attendant handling the finger. 

Of course, all of these workers are in addition to those who are present in both cases.

Time is money

This old adage, for low-cost companies, is a real mantra. Everything has to be done as fast as possible and the plane has to be with its wheels on the ground as little as possible and not with its wings in the air.

FR is a master at this and "forces" airports to perform all activities in a maximum of 25 minutes: this means that, in less than half an hour, the plane should have unloaded passengers and luggage, refueled if necessary, boarded the new passengers and luggage, and be ready to depart.

Two doors, much faster procedures

It takes little to realize that if you use two doors, front and rear, to embark/disembark passengers all this activity will be done much faster than using only the front door.

Using the finger costs the company much less: less personnel on the ground, no need to use buses to transport passengers. In contrast, however, operations take much longer.

Even in the world there are already those who have started using even a Third door to do even faster. Ryanair's patron, if he could, would ban the trolley to make boarding and disembarking even faster.

Ryanair cut even more

Unlike what happens in other companies, Ryanair has also decided to incur an extra cost in the configuration of its aircraft, having the automatic ladder installed under the front door. This results in lower costs, since it does not have to pay for the use of a ladder, but more importantly door opening and passenger disembarkation that can start much faster.

The opening of the door, the extension of the ladder totally managed by the crew, resets the waiting time to zero, and the first passengers disembark through the front door before the ladder is even connected to the rear door.

All this while passengers waiting to board are already on the runway, or on the stairs, ready to board.

In contrast, if the finger is used, then only the front door, all passengers can be boarded and disembarked using only one door making all operations much less fast.

Airplanes are made to fly, not stand still in the airport

The model of low-cost carriers is to exploit, as much as possible, the machines by flying them much more than with traditional carriers. With planes making as many as 8 to 10 takeoffs a day it is easy to see how 15 to 20 more minutes of downtime "costs" the company at least 3 fewer hours of flying per day, translated almost 2 fewer routes per day, per machine, and at the end of the year this would mean hundreds of thousands fewer passengers carried, and millions less in revenue.

So that's why you wait in the apron to board, instead of staying cool (or warm) inside the terminal.

• low cost